Breaking: Andrea Bocelli pulls out of Trump inauguration

Page Six of the New York Post – probably the most trusted showbiz source – says this morning that the Italian crooner has pulled out of the Trump inauguration under backlash pressure from fans. Bocelli met Trump twice in recent weeks to discuss the invitation.

It was widely publicized in the U.S. that Trump’s people were offering to pay performers (there is usually no payment) and offering ambassadorships to managers who could get performers for the inauguration. And this was on the record from those managing the event! Things are really getting desperate in Trumpland. I just shudder to think what will happen after the inauguration.

As far as I am concerned, this — if true, if any of it was ever true — just compounds the offence. Bad call (in my and obviously others’ view) to accept the invitation in the first place. But it’s still a free society, and it’s down to him. But to turn around and cancel it because of social pressure — didn’t Jeff Melanson get savaged for similar over La Lisitsa — hey, there’s an idea! — when at TSO? If he thought it was a good thing to do, for whatever reason, he should have stuck to his guns.

Was Bocelli even asked? We don’t know that, do we? And per Trump, it was Bocelli who asked HIM if he could sing. So . . . . maybe there was no pullout because there was no acceptance in the first place

I did question if any of it was ever true. The rest of my response was predicated on the (admittedly dodgy, when it comes to Trump, premise that it could be. After watching that campaign and this appalling transition period, I ought to know better.

I guess that leaves the hapless Jackie Evancho to be the ‘Entertainer in Chief’ at the Trump inauguration. Bocelli and Jackie Evancho both share management people in the U.S., so much of the blame for this entire public relations disaster should be directed at their management. Somebody else mentioned earlier, on another Bocellli blog about this, that Jackie Evancho’s manager was an extreme right-wing Republican and major Trump supporter. If so, that would explain this mess and why both artists should perhaps look elsewhere for guidance and career management, as they seem to be getting advice that makes them controversial and the human embodiment of their management’s political leanings.

Your comment about Jackie Evancho being “hapless” simply shows your ignorance. Jackie has an incomparable voice and has the backbone that the entertainment celebrities lack. She does not have to support Donald Trump to perform The National Anthem for America itself. She sings for the Office, just as she did twice for President Obama. Read about Jackie…see her on you tube…I did not vote for Mr. Trump, but I always support Jackie.

As a proud first generation Italian American, I felt proud and honored that Andrea Bocelli might perform at The Inauguration. However, I am first and foremost American Over the last 25 years or so, I have amassed a large collection of Bocelli tapes, CDs and DVDs.I will now throw them into the garbage. It is disgraceful that Bocelli or his agents have such arrogance and be so insulting to the USA as to turn down the HONOR of performing at the Inauguration. If Bocelli never performs in the USA again, it will be no loss to me from this point on.

There are lots of people in the US who consider themselves genuine conservatives and who do not support Trump.

(The words “liberal” and “conservative” are being used in increasingly strange ways in the US. I consider myself liberal because of my do-what-you-like-as-long-as-you-don’t-hurt-anyone and we’re-all-in-this-together-so-let’s-not-be-heartless views on life. However, a friend recently told me that I’m not really a liberal: if I were, I would have no respect for anyone different than myself, and no respect for their ability to make intelligent life choices, which I, and people like me, must therefore make on their behalf and force upon them via government. That’s a definition of “liberal” that I don’t subscribe to, but I still consider myself liberal, the same way someone can consider themselves conservative even if they aren’t in favor of expelling all Muslims from the US, impeaching Obama, or imprisoning Hillary.)

These labels are used more as epithets than anything else these days. Also, I don’t think a lot of conservatives (in the more traditional sense) consider Trump one of theirs. He’s really a populist. Besides, it’s hard to know if he actually believes in anything (his statements are contradictory on just about every subject) except for what will drive his audience of the moment. He does believe in himself, though, and it appears that he only wants those around him in his inner circle who will kiss his ring (and maybe something else) or fear him.

Not to waste a good opportunity, it was reported that his oldest sons were caught trying to auction off time with them and their father for big bucks. BIG bucks. So, now that we have commodfied everything else, we are now commodifying the president too.

Where are all the Trump trolls all of a sudden? Anyway, good on him for realising his mistake, people should get off his back now. For my part, I’m having a great time stubbornly refusing to google ‘Jackie Evancho’. I still have no idea who this person is…

Just so you know, Jackie Evancho has the most beautiful voice on this earth. She has performed on countless stages and before President Obama. I did not vote for Mr. Trump, but I so proud of Jackie for performing for the Office of the Presidency. You do not have to support Mr. Trump to appreciate the artistry of Jackie Evancho. The National Anthem IS my anthem as an American.

Of course, the zampolits threatening Bocelli, not for endorsing Trump but simply for singing at his inauguration, just harden the perception among sensible people that artists are hysterical and extreme. Many people voted for Trump with great reluctance, but the unhinged and violent response by the Left simply reassures them that they did the right thing.

Perhaps, had they the least particle of introspection, progressive types might reflect as to why the Democratic candidate, with a huge amount of money collected and spent and with all the media, all the arts and entertainment industry, all the academics, all the bureaucracy, all the pundits, all the “public intellectuals,” and all the foreign leaders on her side lost to a blowhard hated by the party under whose banner he ran and who basically winged it in his whole campaign.

Perhaps they might also think about why, after eight years under the leadership of the Smartest Man in the Universe, the Democratic party has been reduced across the US at the Federal and state level to its worst position in some 90 years, essentially a bicoastal urban archipelago that leads the country in inequality and fiscal peril. Clinton’s margin in the popular vote can be attributed entirely to California.

But no. Ensconsed in the little bubbles that vote Democratic by margins that would embarrass Kim Jong-un, never having met or imagined anyone who voted for Trump, progressives cook up ever more lunatic schemes to shield themselves from reality, all of which have backfired and further humiliated their candidate: e.g. the recounts that add to Trump’s lead, the appeals for “Hamilton” electors who end up casting ballots for Inanimate Carbon Rod instead of Clinton. Truly it’s for those people that the term “Intellectual Yet Idiot” was invented.

That’s all very well and I understand that the American presidential election is an imposing event throughout the world’s media but as far as I’m aware, the terms “the political scene“, “in general” and “in a great many places” aren’t exclusively reserved for or automatically indicative of American politics/Republicans vs Democrats.

And you must remember as well how the GOP said that their #1 and most important priority EVER was to not let ANY legislation favored by President Obama pass. Ever. Kind of extreme, don’t you think? and then there was the only time a member of congress yelled “You Lie!” at a State of the Union address. Shall I go on?

This hogwash re the CA vote being Hillary’s margin is ludicrous. Have you heard of gerrymandering allowing someone in a KS empty field’s vote to be worth 20-30x what my NYC vote’s worth?? Perhaps you should bone up on the GOP’s nefarious agenda of the last 15-20 years. The rustbelt union voters who went for Herr Trump will rue the day soon enough.

“[T]here also were millions approved for transfer from Clinton’s campaign for use by the DNC — which, under a plan devised by Brazile to drum up urban turnout out of fear that Trump would win the popular vote while losing the electoral vote, got dumped into Chicago and New Orleans, far from anywhere that would have made a difference in the election.”

Well said Greg. The Electoral College is necessary to give all states a say in the election, not just the over populated “give me something free states” like NY and California. The “fly over states” beat down the two coasts.

The pendulum swung too far left and is now heading back toward the middle.

California (most of Southern California is a suburb of Mexico. Then there is Oregon and Washington, huge liberal bastions, and then of course New York (not upstate) a conclave of self-absorbed liberal lemmings. That’s what got H the popular vote. I wonder how many illegals ACTUALLY voted for the liberal hand that feeds them? That’s why the Dems don’t want photo id’s as a requirement to vote and scream racism if you try to defend it.

Take the illegal vote away and Trump got a mandate with the popular vote and the Electoral College. Bigly.

It is amazing how much bullying is being tolerated by the newly indignant and loudly intolerant. I for one am disgusted by the puerile chatter on both sides, but much from the Democrat side of things in the moment. Given the seven demonstrable war zones — five initiated by the current administration and continuing under a Peace Prize president in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya, Syria, Somali, and cross-border drone attacks in Pakistan from Afghanistan, one would think voices such as have been heard from in this tempest in a tea pot would have something more important to say. Apparently not. While I did not vote for Mr. Trump nor for Mrs. Clinton, I remain a part of a broad landscape of American people, right and left having places in this. Some are just too loud and singing in the wrong chorus at the moment. What of the wars? One huge, long fermata lingers as little people scream their arias about singing or not singing arias, rather than raising a unified voice against the wars of America and NATO raging around this sad world.

I assume, from your comments, the wars of Russia don’t figure in your moral calculus. Also as you did not vote for Mrs. Clinton or Mr. Trump, you clearly chose not to exercise the only power you have to make a difference in American policy. Rather odd for such a “sensible voice”…..

The wars of all matter and these include many not mentioned. Being an American, I commented specifically on America’s last fifteen years of war making, accelerating into seven distinct war zones in the last several years. Many who wanted Mrs. Clinton to emerge as president fail to explain their parallel support for massive arms sales under her watch as Secretary of State, or the destabilization of many governments under her watch. As to a moral compass, I voted for Sanders and then Stein, so I in fact exercised my privilege to vote, though your conclusion that there are only two parties which matter indicated your preference or prejudice all the while leaping to condemn mine incorrectly. When presented with “either-or” I often look to see what other options and opportunities have not been presented, and wonder why. If you cheered for Mrs. Clinton through the last months, why do you support destabilizing governments and bombing children with American armaments, quite something as bad as the brutal war going on in Syria with Russia’s inclusion in it. Stein did not support war, while the Democrats simply pretended it was someone else and not them that so consistently have made war while pretending peace.

The Trump family are a nice looking, well groomed family, much like the Kennedy’s of old……Camelot…whom the press and country idolized regardless of their personal shortcomings. It’s refreshing to see a handsome family in the WH again instead of a group of people…..FLOTUS especially….who looks like she’s smuggling two Mexicans under her skirt.

It is a sad state of affairs when a singer gets threatened because he will perform when certain cretins feel it is inappropriate. Quite a few of these self important snobs seem to inhabit this website, it would seem.

On the other hand, maybe Bocelli will be thanking them in 4-8 years. Like that Vichy singer a few posts back, it’s a shame to be saddled with that kind of label. You will never be looked at the same. Perhaps many who serve in the fascist creamsicle’s administration, or do his bidding, will come to regret it. It is guaranteed to be the most corrupt administration ever – the instant he is sworn in he will be violating the Constitution in so many ways. People associated by him will be tarred forever.

Your facts are incorrect. Trump is a Constitutionalist, he wants to support and enforce our Constitution not dissect it like President Obama did on so many occasions, i.e. attacking religious freedom, ignoring immigration laws (which weakens and threatens our national security and is a violation of the presidential oath to “preserve and protect” ) and freedom of speech to name just three. Obama also used his pen with Exevutive orders to make laws, which is not in his duties, that function belongs solely to the Legislative Branch (Congress) of our government, not the Executive Branch.

The Daily Mail, I know all too well. My family in the U.K. all seem to have a favorable view of Obama and not so favorable of the right since that paper is so liberal in its opinions and biased way is reports US news.

More and more reminiscent of the bullies in the Third Reich; naming names, having neighbours dob on one another. Where is Arthur Miller when he’s needed? These witch hunts know no parallel in the last 50 years in the USA.

The Philadelphia Orchestra and Eugene Ormandy performed at the second Nixon inaugural. I don’t remember more than a shrug from the intelligentsia. (Leonard Bernstein and the National Symphony performed Haydn’s Mass in Time of War at the counter-inagural; I was there.)

From the archives

From the archives

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